Page navigation

Auto Body Repair Estimates Demystified - The 5 Most Common Items on a Repair Estimate

You have thought we would have an estimate from the local repair shop. Today, most body shops make use of a computerized estimating software to write down your estimate. In the event the shop you've selected will not work with a computer to publish your estimate that should be cause for concern. It's not meant as a jab at those very long time owners and technicians that i'm not implying these are "backward" or "luddites" or ignorant. Its more for accountability. Computerized software programs are now standard inside our industry and insures a much more uniform, unbiased and accurate appraisal how long things choose to use repair. As an illustration, I had been conversing with a shop owner only a few days ago who had previously been remembering with fondness the good old days while he would routinely get 15+ labor hours to repair frames on cars that these days he only gets 4-5 hours on. The truth is however that 4-5 may be the more accurate and fair rate (with respect to the job needless to say it could be about). As well as consumers and insurance firms are billed with the hours with an estimate the old events of falsely inflating hours are gone.

When it comes to auto body repair nearly all line items by using an estimate will be one of 5 things:

1. R & I. This really is shorthand for "remove and install" and way to take something off your car or truck after which to re-install it later. Parts which aren't damaged may need to be temporarily removed to gain access to another part that has been damaged or higher often hence the panel it really is removed from of can painted properly. For instance, say your motor unit to your window fights. The inner trim panel should be temporarily removed for to get into the motor to see if it may be repaired (not going!) or replaced. Or maybe a molding should be removed from your home prior to it being painted just to be put back on later if the paint dries. One caution this is that when panels are painted and you're simply not charged for R & I a shop might be taping them up which can actually cause peeling or flaking entire time later. So don't be surprised if for instance a headlight must be removed to paint a fender. You should be more concerned if it is not. FYI: R & I times are usually set to industry standards by estimating software and are not discretionary.

2. Repair. Repair (aka 'Rpr') is the most discretionary item with an estimate and typically the amount of time it takes to repair something will probably be underlined or asterisk-ed (*) to point this. This is when protection adjuster might say a dent or dimple will take Three hours to correct plus a technician might say it will need 4. There's no strict rule here which needs to be negotiated between insurance adjusters, shop estimators and possibly the technicians working. My dad who has been in the market almost 4 decades educated me a long time ago a dent that is about the height and width of a guys fist should take about Three hours to correct. From that point you'll be able to adjust up or accomplished for various things just like a body line that runs over the dent (add an hour or so) or even the dent does not have any creases which is accessible from inside and for that reason might be mostly popped out (subtract time). The main reason now are very important is that insurance agencies are paying shops using the amount of hours for the estimate.

3. Replace. Replacing parts, sometimes shorthanded to 'repl,' is not a discretionary item while on an estimate and is controlled by industry standards or what shop folks call "book time." If your book/software says it will take 3.5 hours to change that bumper then it is precisely what the insurer will probably pay. Forget about with out less. It really is pretty well standardized just slight variations determined by which software packages are used and then a couple of seconds differs by almost no.

4. Sublet. Sometimes you'll find stuff that an auto shop will be sending to someone else (typically an auto mechanic who manages more under the hood items) to execute and that is categorized as sublet. Popular things for shops to sublet out are air conditioner recharging and 4 wheel alignments when the suspension is broken. The reason why this is sent out typically is the equipment and space needed for these operations are not reasonable to a shape shop. Then when it comes to deeper engine repair, oil and paint don't mix! Oil and grease can quickly ruin a splash of paint. So, shops that say they are able to do "everything" typically can't try everything well.

5. Miscellaneous. Under this category will go small charges like "hazardous waste removal" (about once a month we pay anyone to pick-up and dispose of our hazardous waste in the safest way possible) and "car pay for overspray" which covers paper, tape and plastic to pay for the vehicle through the painting process so paint over spray doesn't go all around the windows or adjacent panels.